Waterford Farm Road in Halswell – In the late 1800’s Thomas Kennedy leased 60acres in the area and built a thatched sod cottage which became known as “Waterford Farm”. Upon Mr Kennedy’s death the family were unable to maintain the mortgage and the property was sold as “Kennedy’s Farm”.
A small amount from council minutes about the naming of the streets in the subdivision.
Not as much information on Papers Past as I expect and I couldn’t find an obituary. Thomas Kennedy died in 1881 aged 62 years. In 1881 the farm was for sale as Kennedy’s Farm. Interestingly it was advertised as freehold yet in 1876 it was described as leasehold. In 1976 Gordon Ogilvie wrote an article about Thomas Kennedy and he said that he came to NZ in 1838 from the US as a whaler. Various online information can’t decide if he was from Ireland or the US.
The street is too new to be on maps yet and the road isn’t fully formed yet.
Edited to say that Thomas Kennedy purchased the freehold of his property only a few days before he died. He had originally leased the land from Ernest Gray and the land was previously owned by Dr A C Barker. This information was from Gordon Ogilvie but he had Dr Barker dying in 1876 but he actually died in 1873.
Lytteltonwitch's Walking the streets of Christchurch Project 